Oscar Said:

Mental Health. The system is awful? Anybody know any Charities etc?

We Answered:

Yes. The so-called mental "health" system is awful, very destructive, because they are "barking up the wrong tree". People go into mental hospitals and out and back in again. They call it the revolving door system in mental health circles.
There is an organisation called "Support Coalition International" who produce a magazine called "Dendron" at 454, Willamette St., Suite 216, P.O. Box 11284, Eugene, Oregon, USA. OR 97440-(an alternative to psychiatric drugging etc) who may be able to give you the information you need or suggest an alternative. These diagnostic labels are not helpful to most people. What people usually need is the chance to vent their feelings. This can be hard on the family but if she could get enough support it could do her a lot of good. You don't say why the breakdown occurred. Did some present day event trigger past trauma, or is that something that your mother doesn't know?
I hope you get some help soon. I know the anti-psychiatry movement had a house in London where people could stay, it may still be running. I think it was called the Philadelphia House (or Society) It was originally run by RD Laing.
The web address for Support Coalition International is:
http://www.efn.org/-dendron Good luck
PS For yourself, to help with your stress and just generally to improve life (everyone could do with it!) I suggest you could try co-counselling they have a website at:
www.rc.org where you can learn to undo any hurts you have acquired in your life, (and we all have!) You've no idea what a difference it can make to your life until you try it

Willie Said:

I am thinking of giving some money to a UK-based mental health charity. Which one is best?

We Answered:

MIND or the Rowntrees Trust - Mind are the most service-user -friendly organisation. They have the best attitude of helping people to empower themselves rather than poor wee things

Walter Said:

what charities are there for mental health?

We Answered:

You could look into to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), I've was in a walk for them. There are bound to be other things you can do for them, like donate.

Jaime Said:

Why aren't mental health problems taken very seriously?

We Answered:

I have clinical depression, and I think people don't take it seriously for two reasons.

1. Everyone gets depressed sometimes, and they get over it, so they assume I have the same type of depression and I should also get over it. It is not within their comprehension how totally different clinical depression is.

2. When they see me I seem normal and happy and all that. I tell them if I wasn't having a good day they wouldn't see me, but since they don't witness the bad days, they don't realize they even exist.

Marie Said:

Any UK mental health charities that used donated furniture to furnish homes for people with mental health prob?

We Answered:

You could try MIND http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area…
I think what you are doing is brilliant and would be a huge weight off someones shoulders and one less worry for them to think about..

There is always someone coming out of psychiatric care that needs to be rehoused and the goverment grants take so long to process to provide the basic essentials i think what you are giving away would be ideal for someone and i'm sure MIND will have many people in their organisation in need..

Well done..